Dispensing cabinet



April 8; 1958' K. A.. ROSE DISPENSING CABINET Filed Dec. 13, 1956 INVENTOR KURT A. ROSE AT TOR NEY United States Patent DISPENSING CABINET Kurt A. Rose, Meridian, Miss. Application December 13, 1956, Serial No. 628,072 5 Claims. (Cl. 312-116) This invention relates to foods, their care and preservation, and to the preparation and dispensing of the same. The invention relates specifically to a cabinet designed for containing ingredients in a convenient arrangement capable of being combined to produce palatable, coohng and refreshing flavorful desserts from snow and ice-like material.

Cabinets and other structures of numerous kinds have been produced for holding ingredients intended to be combined to provide wholesome refreshing delicacies. However, these have been objectionable for various reasons, including size, cost, unsatisfactory arrangement rendering them awkward to use as well as lacking in attractiveness and not sufficiently sanitary.

It is an object of the invention to overcome the difiiculties enumerated and to provide a dispensing cabinet, fixture or bar for use with an insulated ice chest and over which ice chest the structure of the present invention could be disposed.

Another object of the invention is to provide a dispensing cabinet or bar adapted to fit upon an ice chest and having a slidable cover over the ice chest to permit access when desired and to close the chest at other times, as well as a series of receiving recesses for appurtenances, and with a transparent wall exposing to visibility the interior of the cabinet.

A further object of the invention is to provide a relatively simple and inexpensive dispensing cabinet of a character which will promote sanitation, facilitate the creation of a particular palatable and saleable item, such as a snow ball, and which can be readily produced and transported.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing wherein:

Fig. 1 is a perspective of a dispensing cabinet or bar, in accordance with the present invention, supported on a conventional ice chest; and

Fig. 2, a front elevation.

Briefly stated, the invention comprises a cabinet or casing adapted to rest upon and be supported by a conventional ice chest. The cabinet includes a pair of sides and a front wall, the upper ends of the sides being curved at the rear and with a horizontal shelf or partition between the sides adapted to rest upon the top of the ice chest. This horizontal partition has an opening with a slidable cover affording access to the ice chest. The front wall of the cabinet above such horizontal partition or table is transparent to allow the interior of the upper portion of the cabinet to be seen. A narrow top member is provided across the sides and over the front portion of the cabinet, such top member having openings for the reception of containers of various kinds and a plurality of stepped supports mounted on the inner sides of the upper portion of each side of the cabinet.

With continued reference to the drawings, the invention is adapted to be used with a conventional ice chest chest is preferably of the insulated variety 10 having four legs 11 supported by casters ,12. The ice and the top of which is open. Upon the ice chest is placed a cabinet of the present invention which comprises a pair of side walls 13 of substantially rectangular shape except for curved edges 14 which extend from the rear to near the front of the cabinet and terminate under the relatively fiat top member 15. The front wall 16 is substantially two-thirds of the approximate height of the side walls with a glass panel 17 providing the upper portion of the front wall and permitting visibility from the front into the upper portion of the cabinet. If desired, this glass panel may have a sign 18 applied across its upper portion. The cabinet is provided with a slidable closure panel 19, the ends of which are received in side channels 20 so that the closure panel may be disposed over the opening '21 in a transverse partition or shelf 22, which rests in intimate contact with the top surface of the ice chest 10, so that an operator behind the cabinet may have ready access to the ice chest and, for facilitating the sliding of the closure, a handle 23 may be provided.

it will be noted that the bottom edge of each of the walls terminates short of the floor on which the chest is supported whereby the cabinet is supported by its shelf on the upper surface of the top of the ice chest. This structure makes it possible to apply and remove the cabinet to and from the ice chest with a minimum of delay and the ice chest can have an inexpensive exterior finish while the sides and front of the cabinet are so designed as to produce a pleasing and ornamental effect whereby the cabinet may be used with different ice chests when one ice chest becomes unsuitable for its use. Since the exterior of the ice chest can be of inexpensive material, the overall economy of the present cabinet is a substantial improvement.

In order to hold containers of ingredients a series of supports 24 may be mounted in stepped relation on the inner side of each of the sides 13 of the cabinet and, if desired, the top member 25 may be disposed across the upper extremities of the side members adjacent the front, and such top members may have a series of openings for reception of containers.

It will be apparent from the foregoing that a cabinet in the form of a shell is provided which fits over and rests upon a conventional ice chest, such cabinet or shell having a horizontal table or work surface with an opening corresponding to the opening in the ice chest, a slidable cover for the same affording access thereto. Above the shelf or table portion of the cabinet is a transparent front wall below which is an opaque wall portion. This permits viewing the interior of the cabinet above the shelf or table portion, and the side or top wall of the cabinet being of a character to receive. and support containers of ingredients, such device being of a character to promote sanitation and to facilitate the use of the same.

it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that various changes may be made in the invention without departing from the spirit and scope thereof and therefore the invention is not limited by that which is illustrated in the drawing and described in the specification, but only as indicated in the accompanying claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A dispensing cabinet for use with a conventional open top ice chest comprising a pair of upright side and front wall members a table top partition between said side and front wall members and having an opening of a size corresponding to and adapted :to rest over the open top of the ice chest, the distance from the under surface of such table top partition to the bottom edge of said sides and front walls being slightly less than the height of the ice chest whereby said cabinet will be supported magmas above the floor when placed on such chest, a closure.

mounted above said shelf and movable from a closed to an open position to aiford access through said opening in said table top partition, a series of supports disposed about the interior of said cabinet above said shelf, the front wall of said cabinet being constructed to permit viewing the contents of the upper portion of the cabinet from the front.

2, A dispensing unit of general utility comprising a chest having a refrigerated compartment therein for preserving perishable material and also having an open top, an ornamental and useful cabinet providing a mask and being adapted to be supported on said chest, said cabinet including a front wall and side walls with a shelf joining said front Wall and side walls at a location above the bottom of the wallsat a height slightly less than the height of the chest from its supporting surface whereby the cabinet will be supported by the chest without requiring complicated fastenings, said shelf serving as a closure for the chest, the front wall of said cabinet being constructed to allow viewing of the cabinet above said shelf.

3. The invention according to claim 2 in which the shelf is provided with an opening and a cover for said opening to permit access.

4. A dispensing cabinet for use-with a conventional open top ice chest comprising a pair of upright sides and a front wall member including an upper transparent portion, a table top partition between said side and front its shelf 0n the top ofv i said shelf and moveable from wall membersandhaving anopening ofa size corresponding to and adapted to rest over the open top of the ice chest, the distance from the under surface of such table top partition to the bottom edge of said side and front walls being slightly less than the height of the ice chest whereby said cabinet will be supported above the floor when placed on such chest, a closure mounted above a closed to an open position to afford access through said opening in said table top partition, aseries of supports disposed about the interior of said cabinet above said shelf, the front wall of said cabinet extending'below said table top partition and the transparent portion thereabove whereby the cabinet may be readily placed upon and removed from said ice chest and when on such ice chest the latter will be concealed while the contents above said partition may be viewed.

5. The inventionaccording to claim 4 in which the tabletop. partitionwith the opening therein is provided with aslide. coverv for closing said opening.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS D. 96,560 McNamara Aug. 13, 1935 954,121 Matter Apr. 5, 1910 1,862,654 Booth June 14, 1932 2,220,503 Whelan Nov. 5, 1940 2,287,657 Wiskol June 23, 1941 2.707.665 Ford May 3, 1955 

